Quota Cares Month—Honorable Mention Winner
Quota International of Parkes, New South Wales, Australia

There's nothing like a good speaker to motivate a group. Members of the Quota club of Parkes must have felt twice as motivated after hearing two exceptional speakers at their International Women's Day. Women are encouraged to attend this annual event not only for fellowship, but also to learn about and raise money for the less fortunate women and children in the world.

One of the speakers was both a Quotarian and the benefactor of a Quota club project. Years ago, as a young single mother with a profoundly deaf son, she was in need of help and hope. The Quota club provided both in the form of hearing aids. Now, many years later, she has remarried and started her own business, while her son, a graphic designer, is married with two sons. She joined the Quotarians to repay the debt, but says she continues to feel that the club gives her so much.

The second speaker discussed how her work has exposed her to the wide range of advantages and disadvantages people face. In directing a nursing home, she encountered Holocaust survivors still struggling with grief and loss as well as many ill-treated and poorly paid migrant workers. On the other end of the spectrum, she sang with the Australian Opera Company, enjoying music and travel. All of her experiences, she said, made her realize how fortunate Australian women are and what they have to offer others.

The event boosted club morale, proving to members the value of their club sponsorships but also allowing them to share their work with the guests they hosted. The sharing didn't stop there—with the funds raised—Quota Parkes purchased a television set for the Women's Refuge Center nearby.

To read or print the club's winning application, click here*.

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